In a significant push to combat Nigeria's persistent job crisis, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, with backing from the International Labour Organisation (ILO), has successfully expanded its cadre of certified business trainers. The initiative, under the Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) programme, concluded a Training of Trainers (ToT) session in Abuja on Friday, December 16, 2025.
Building a National Network of Expert Trainers
The programme's core achievement is the creation of a new national pool of over 25 technically proficient certified SIYB trainers. These individuals are now equipped to cascade essential entrepreneurship and business management skills across the country. Their mission is critical: to address the severe gaps in employment, with a special focus on youth, women, and workers trapped in the informal sector.
Dr. Vanessa Phala, Director of the ILO Country Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and the ECOWAS Liaison Office, hailed the training as a major milestone. She stated it directly confronts Nigeria's labour-market challenges, including youth underemployment, widespread informality, and the barriers faced by women, persons with disabilities, and other marginalised groups.
A Direct Response to a Growing Labour Market Crisis
The expansion of the SIYB programme is a direct response to a daunting reality. Nigeria's labour market struggles to absorb the millions of jobseekers entering it yearly, many lacking the skills or resources to start and sustain viable businesses. Mr. Joseph Akpan, a Deputy Director at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, provided a stark statistic: the formal sector can only absorb about 10% of school leavers into paid employment.
"This makes self-employment not just an option but a necessity for millions," Akpan emphasized. He underscored the vital role of well-trained facilitators in guiding aspiring entrepreneurs towards sustainable livelihoods.
Dr. Phala explained that the ToT was delivered under the SEESIN and ACTION for Improving Labour Migration Governance in Nigeria projects. It aims to build a pool of trainers who are not just technically sound but also gender-responsive and socially inclusive. "For the ILO, the SIYB programme is critical for promoting financial inclusion, enabling informed decision-making, and supporting pathways to decent work," she said, particularly for those vulnerable to economic displacement or migration.
Alignment with National Policies and Union Support
The initiative has garnered strong support from key stakeholders. Comrade Benson Upah, Acting General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), expressed the union's backing for efforts that promote decent work and address the unemployment crisis. He noted the programme aligns with the labour movement's push for a systematic approach to job creation and skills development.
Upah expressed optimism that the new trainers would be instrumental in closing decent work deficits and strengthening labour migration governance. The training is also in sync with key government blueprints, including:
- The National Development Plan (2021–2025)
- The newly approved National Employment Policy (NEP) 2025
- The National Labour Migration Policy (2020)
Dr. Phala commended the collaborative efforts of the Federal Ministry, organised labour, employers' organisations, and the German development agency GIZ, which funded the underlying projects. This partnership underscores a unified front in tackling one of Nigeria's most pressing socio-economic challenges by empowering citizens with the tools for entrepreneurship and self-reliance.
